A reed was like a metal comb whose teeth are secured top and bottom, used to hold the weft apart on a weavers loom. The reed, with its to and fro movement, 'beats' the weft thread into place (like a comb) as it is placed by the shuttle passing across the full width of the loom.
Reed makers would have been self-employed artisans, with probably an apprentice or two. In 1828 and earlier they would have supplied the local wool and cotton mills directly, later as things became more centralized, they would have supplied a Reed manufacturer who would then have sold them on to Mills all over Lancashire, and beyond.

Some links that may be of interest:

http://www.allfiberarts.com/library/aa99/aa110299.htm

http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/su76g.htm

FLETCHER Thomas, Reed-maker, Bury
WHITEHEAD James, Reed-maker, Bury
James HOLT, 6, Great Ancoats Street, Manchester

BURY
FLETCHER Thomas, Union Street, Bury
HUNT Edward, Silver Street, Bury
WHITEHEAD Henry, Union Square, Bury

ASHTON UNDER LYNE
BROADBENT James, Style Barn
COLLINS & LORD, Style Barn
GOULD Robert, Style Barn
MARSDEN & HALLWORTH

BLACKBURN
ANDERTON David, Queen street
BARLOW Robert, Calender street
CARRUTHERS John, Church street
CARRUTHERS Joseph, Duke street
COTTAM Charles, Penny street
DEWHURST Thomas, Thunder alley
DEWHURST George, Holme street
EDGE William. Northgate
FRANCE John, Clayton street
HALL Richard, Calender street
HAYES T, New Bull yard, Church street
PEARSON John, Penny street
RATCLIFFE Procter, Back lane
SHARPLES Thomas, Salford
SHARPLES William, Queen street
SHORROCK Edward, Penny street

BOLTON
DAWSON & HOLT, Deansgate
EDGE Henry, King st
ELTON Phineas, Deansgate
HATTON william, Bradshaw gate
ORRELL William, sen. Church gate
ORRELL William, jun. Barn street
ORRELL James, Church Wharf
SCHOLES Samuel, Spring Gardens
WYLIE Robert, Queen street

BURNLEY
CATTERALL Thomas, Threadneedle street
RILEY Richard, St James's street

CHORLEY
CATTERALL J, Standish street
CROASDALE Stephen, Market street
HICKSON James, Leigh street
PEARSON William, St Thomas square
SHARPLES William, Water street
TOMLINSON Thomas, Bolton street
WHITTAKER Edward, Market street

COLNE
INGHAM Richard, Colne lane
SUTCLIFFE Samuel, back of Mason's Arms
SWAINE William, Clayton street

MACCLESFIELD
DEWHURST Richard, Chestergate
MILLWARD John, Duke st

MANCHESTER
ASPDEN Henry, 11 Marsden st
BROWN James, 183 Oldham rd
BROWN James, 233 Oldham rd
BURY John, 24 Water st, Salford
CHAPMAN J, 5 New Bayley st, Salford
DALE Peter, 20 Oldham rd
HAMPSON Wm, 155 Chapel st, Salford
JOHNSON John, Piccadilly
JONES Robert, 88 Greengate, Salford
MILLWARD & NORTON, 5 Copperas st
OLIVER William, 4 Fountain st
RICHARDSON Thomas, 285 Oldham rd
ROGERSON John, 66 Thomas st
SHARPLES J, Cannon court, Cateaton st
SHARPLES George, 16 Church st
SMETHURST James, 2 Barlows court
WALKER John, St Mary's Church yard
WALKER Samuel, Back Cross st, Salford

OLDHAM
OGDEN Joshua, reed maker, Fould

PRESTON
CARROL Robert, Vauxhall rd
GRIME Robert, Friargate
JOHNSON George, TUrk's head court
MOOR John, Bolton court
OLDHAM John, Stoney gate
SHARPLES Richard, King st
SMITH Henry, Cheapside
SUMNER Thomas, Church st
WALTON Thomas, Turk's head court

ROCHDALE
BUTTERWORTH Joseph, Yorkshire st
CHADWICK Wm, Toad lane
HOLT William, Yorkshire st
LORD Edmund, Toad lane

STOCKPORT
AMBERY John, Hillgate
BARNES William, Hope hill
BERRY James, Hillgate
LIVESLEY William, Hillgate
POLLITT Matthew, High st
WILLIAMS George, Hillgate

WARRINGTON
CHESTER Edward, Winwick st
LINGLEY George, Winwick st

WIGAN
BROWN James, Standishgate
LOMAX James, Bishopgate
MOLYNEUX Isaac, Scholes
MOORFIELD Edward, Wallgate
NEWALL Joseph, Standishgate
PRINCE Joseph, Wigan lane
RANSOM John, Hallgate
SUTTON Edward, Millgate
WINSTANLEY George, Standishgate

FLETCHER Thomas, reed maker, Union st
HUNT Edward, reed maker, 18 Silver st
WHITEHEAD Henry, reed maker, 54 Union sq

Thomas FLETCHER, 9, Union Street, Bury
Henry WHITEHEAD, 54, Union Square, Bury

Ashton Under Lyne
CATTERALL Richard 4 Old St Staylebridge
COLLINS Jeremiah Style Barn
COLLINS John Style Barn
GOULD Robert Foundry St
HAILSWORTH Samuel Stamford st
LEDWARD John 16 Church St

Blackburn
ANDERTON David Queen St
CARRUTHERS Joseph Duckworth st Over Darwen & New Water St
COTTAM Cuthbert Old Chapel St
DEWHURST George Queen St
MEAD William White Burk
RADCLIFFE Proctor Clayton St
SHORROCK Thomas Paradise St

Bolton
CHISNALL James Old Acres
DAWSON & HOLT Deansgate
EDGE Henry Howell Croft
GREENHALGH John Foulds Rd
GRUNDY Phillip Cross St
HATTON Alice Bradshawgate
MONKS John Ashburner St
MORRIS Peter Velvet Walks
ROTHWELL Peter Rothwell Buildings

Burnley
CATTERALL Thomas 1 Curzon St
RILEY Richard Royle Rd
ROBERTSON John Coal St
SHARPLES William 19 Fountain St
SMITH James Thorney Bank

Bury
BAXTER Thomas Paradise St
HOLT William Moorgate
MORT Samuel Water St
WHITEHEAD James Bolton St

Chorley
CROASDALE Stephen Market St
HAYDICK Joseph,Market St
HICKSON James Market St
TOMLINSON Thomas chapel St


Colne
CORK John Colne Lane
INGHAM Richard,Rope Walk
SUTCLIFFE Samuel Colne LAne

Haslingden with Crawshawbooth
GRIMSHAW James Church Lane
SHARPLES Thomas Deardengate

Leigh
FARRINGTON John Bradshawgate
HOWARTH Thomas King St
MOLYNEUX Issac Bradshawgate
WRIGHT Ralph King St


Manchester
ASTLEY Thomas Portland St
BARON John 82 Tib St
BOOTH William 36 Turner St
CHAPMAN John David St
GILL Joseph Lower Byrom St
HAMPSON Richd Lamb Lane Salford 
HOGG John 55 Hanover St
HOLLINGSWORTH Jacob 39 St George St
SHARPLES John 11 Deansgate
SIMPSON John 16 York St C on M
WALKER John 7 Stanley St Salford
WOODWORTH Daniel Newton Heath
WRIGHT William 23 Back George St

Oldham
BROWN Andrew,Ratcliffe St
COLLIER Samuel,Royton
HINDLE James,Yorkshire St
THORNLEY Charles,Shaw Chapel

Preston
CALDWELL William,Spring Gardens
GRIME Robert,36 Friargate
HOLMES James,Library st
SHARPLES John, Leeming St
SHARPLES Richard,Paradise St
SUMNER Thomas, 4 Church Yard
THOMPSON Elizabeth, 4 King St
TURNER Edward, Pole St
WORSLEY John,Pole St

Radcliffe
GREGORY Joseph,Whitefield
RYLAND John,Hollinhurst,Strand

Rochdale
HINDLE John,Turner's croft
HOLT William,Yorkshire St
STANDRING Samuel & John,Union St
WRIGLEY John,Yorkshire St

Richard CATTERALL, Butcher Lane, Bury
Thomas CATTERALL, Manchester Road, Bury
John HAWORTH, Manchester Road, Bury
William HOLT, Wash Lane, Bury

E.HOLT, 5, Clerke Street, Bury
J. CORK, West Parade, Colne
S. CORK, Master Street, Burnley

1863 Slater's Directory of Manchester and Salford (Historical Directories)

ASPDEN, John, reed maker, 34 Silk st, Hulme
BOOTH, William reed maker and heald knitter, 44 Minshull st, house 70 Thomas st, Shudehill
CAMPBELL James, reed maker, 15 Bradford Rd, Manchester
CRAWSHAW Richard, reed maker, Oldham rd, Newton H
FIELDING Whittaker, reed maker, Elbow st, Turner st, house Sycamore st, Oldham rd, Manchester
GATENBY George, reed maker (Gatenby and Pass), Green Bank, Stretford
McGUIGAN John, reed maker, 39 Slater st, Oldham rd, Manchester
MORRIS Thomas, reed maker, 6 ?Fetter lane, Bloom st, Manchester
POOLE Robert, reed maker, 13 Corporation st, Salford
PRESTON Richard, reed maker, 71 Duke st, Hulme
REEVE William, reed maker, 73 Springfield la, Salford
SIMPSON William, reed maker, Hullard Hall lane, Manchester
SMITH John, reed maker, 44 Union st, Salford
TATTERSALL, __, reed maker, 10 Ainsworth st, Ardwick
WALCH Morris C, reed maker, 55 ?Stort st, Hulme
WALSH Richard, reed maker, 53 Richmond st, Manchester
WARBURTON George, reed maker, 23 Bridge st, C on M
WARD James, reed maker, 10 Barker st, Strangeways
WINSTANLEY Richard, reed maker, 31 Ogden st, Ardwick
WOOD Peter, reed maker, 27 Berkeley st, Strangeways
WOODWORTH Charles, reed maker, 67 Back Piccadilly
WRIGHT James, reed maker, 6 Saint Simon st, Salford
SIMPSON Eleanor, reed maker 23 Bloom st, Manchester

1875 Mannex - North East Lancashire with Bury & district (archive cd's)

SCHOFIELD Edward, reed and heald manufacturer, Tithebarn st, Bury
COOK Samuel & Co, Spring st, Bury
CROSSLEY Thomas, reedmaker, Promenade St, Heywood, h. 42 Back Rochdale Rd, Heywood
FIRTH Sutcliffe, joiner and reed rib maker, Hill st, Heywood
GREGORY Thomas, reed maker, 5 Rochdale rd, Heywood
COTTAM Cuthbert, Longford st, Heywood

CENSUS

1841 Census - Bury (Stepping Stones CD)

HO107/538/2/ed4/f33/pg29
Edmund HOLT 30 Reedmaker 
& household

HO107/538/3/ed6/f30/pg5
G MERCER 31 Reedmaker 
& household

HO107/538/3/ed6/f34/pg13
Richard TAYLOR 50 Reedmaker 
& household

HO107/538/4/ed7/f11/pg14
Richard TAYLOR 50 J Reedmaker 
& household

HO107/538/5/ed11/f40/pg13
William HOLT 55 Reed mkr
Richard 16 Reed mkr
& household

HO107/538/7/ed14/f5/pg3
Thomas CATHRAN 25 Reedmaker

HO107/538/7/ed14/f11/pg16
Edward SHARPLES 30 Reed M
& household

HO107/538/9/ed5/f32/pg16
Richard CATERIL 55 Reed maker
John 30 Reedmaker
James 15 Reedmaker
& household

1841 Census - Wardleworth, Wuerdle & Wardle (Stepping Stones CD)

HO107/552/7/ed5/f27/pg10
John WRIGLEY 35 Reed M
& family

HO107/552/7/ed5/f29/pg14
James WRIGLEY 60 Reed M
& LORD family

HO107/552/7/ed6/f40/pg2
Thomas WRIGLY 21 Reed Maker

HO107/552/7/ed6/f43/pg9
Benjamin WRIGLY 30 Reed M
& family

HO107/552/8/ed8/f30/pg15
Jn STANDRING 45 Reed Maker
& family

HO107/552/10/ed13/f29/pg2
Robert WAUGH 45 Reed Maker
& family

HO107/552/12/ed2/f29/pg8
Robert WRIGLEY 30 Reed Maker I
& family

1841 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

1851 Census - Bury (S&N CD)

HO107/2214/f21/pg35
Richard HOLT 25 Reed maker born Lancashire, Bury
& family

HO107/2214/f69/pg50
Thomas CATTERALL 36 Reed maker born Lancashire, Chorley
& family

HO107/2214/f254/pg60
Edward SCHOFIELD 24 Reed maker born Yorkshire, N.K.
& family

HO107/2214/f282/pg34&35
Edmund HOLT 43 Reed maker (no birthplaces listed for houshold)
& family

HO107/2215/f17/pg26
Edward SHARPLES 38 Reed maker born Lancashire, Blackburn
& family

HO107/2215/f45/pg13
George MERCER 44 Reed maker born Lancashire, Standish
James 13 App Reed maker born Lancashire, Bury
& family

HO107/2215/f83/pg12
James CATTERALL 21 Reed maker born Lancashire, Stalybridge
& family

Ho107/2215/f116/pg13
Richard CATTERAL 68 Reed maker born Lancashire, Manchester
Alfred 19 Reed maker born Lancashire, Stalybridge
& family

HO107/2215/f202/pg57
William HOLT 73 Reed maker born Lancashire, Rochdale
William 26 Reed maker born Lancashire, Rochdale
& family

HO107/2213/F139/pg14
William SHARPLES 55 Reed Maker born Lancashire, Blackburn
& family

1851 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

1861 Census - Bury (S&N CD)

RG9/2844/F83/pg2
Edmund HOLT 53 Reed Maker born Rochdale
& family

RG9/2844/F95/pg25
Edward SCHOFIELD 33 Reed Maker Master employing 2 men born Yorkshire, Hardington
& family
James GILL 18 Ap - to Reed Making b Lancashire, Manchester

RG2845/F72/pg12
George COOK 27 Reed Manufacturer employs 3 men, 1 boy, and 13 girls, born Yorkshire, ?Recton
& family

RG9/2837/F38/pg70
James DUCKWORTH 41 Cotton Reed Manufacturer born Lancashire, Stubbins
& family

RG9/2837/F87/pg8
John DAUBER 53 Reedmaker born Lancashire, Nuttall
& family

RG9/2837/F98/pg1
Thomas SHARPLES 59 Reedmaker born Lancashire, Haslingden
Robert 14 Reedmaker born Lancashire, Walmsley
Thomas 13 Reedmaker born Lancashire, Walmsley
& family

1861 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

1871 Census - Bury (S&N CD)

RG10/3958/F68/pg62
William RIDINGS Reed Maker Spin born Lancashire, Bury
& family

RG10/3958/F134/pg5
James GILL 28 Spin Reed Maker born Lancashire, Manchester
& family

RG10/3958/F133/pg4
Richard HOLT 45 Reed maker Spin born Lancashire, Bury
William 19 Reedmaker spin born Lancashire, Bury
& family

1871 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

1881 Census - Bury district (LDS CDs)

RG11/3859/F77/pg7
Henry MARSDEN 19 Reedmaker (S & W) Bury, Lancashire 
& family

RG11/3849/F41/pg14
John E. ASWORTH 13 Assistant Reed Maker born Ramsbottom, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3849/F100/pg59
Robert SHARPLES 34 Reed Maker born Limefield, Lancashire
& family 

RG11/3849/F100/pg60
Thomas SHARPLES 58 Read & Heald Maker 3 Men 1 Boy 2 Girls born Haslingden, 
Lancashire
William SHARPLES 25 Reed Maker born Bury, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3849/F111/pg2
James DUCKWORTH 59 Reed Maker (S W M) born Shuttleworth, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3854/F100/pg10
William CARRUTHERS 49 Reed Maker (SMM) born Radcliffe, Lancashire
Robert CARRUTHERS 20 Reed Maker (SMM) born Heywood, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3857/F44/pg27
Frank LEWIS 40 Reed Maker (SWM) born Macclesfield, Cheshire
& family

RG11/3859/F78/pg10
Richard HOLT 22 Reed Maker born Stockport, Cheshire
James HOLT 20 Reed Maker born Bury, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3861/F5/pg3
Robert SCHOFIELD 20 Reed Maker born Bury, Lancashire
& family 

RG11/3863/F20/pg34
Alfred CATTERALL 52 Reed Maker (S & W) born Stalybridge, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3864/F70/pg15
Christopher J. SCOTT 14 Heald And Reed Maker born Over Darwen, Lancashire
Richd. E.G. SCOTT 11 Heald And Reed Maker (Half Time) born Over Darwen, 
Lancashire
& family

RG11/3864/F105/pg6
James T. CRYER 24 Reed Maker S & W born Manchester Con M, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3865/F33/pg8
Edward SHARPLES 49 Cotton Reed Maker born Haslingden, Lancashire
& family

RG11/3866/F46/pg19
Samuel DUDDLE 20 Reed Maker born Bury, Lancashire

RG11/3859/F78/pg10
Edward SCHOFIELD 52 Reed & Heald Manufacturer born Harrogate, York
& family

1881 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

1891 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

Some 1901 Census

J SHARPLES 19 Lancashire Ramsbottom Lancaster Ramsbottom Reed Maker Power
Robert SHARPLES 53 Lancashire Linefield Lancaster Ramsbottom Reed Maker For Power Coms 
Thomas SHARPLES 78 Lancashire Haslington Lancaster Ramsbottom Reed & Hoald Manufacturer 

James SHARPLES 56 Lancs Haslingden Lancashire Haslingden Reed & Heald Maker 

Thos SHARPLES 58 Lanc Castleton Oldham Oldham Reed Maker 

Tom SHARPLES 50 N K Burnley Reed Maker 

Henry WHITEHEAD 21 Lancs Preston Lancaster Preston Reed Maker 

Thomas WHITEHEAD 58 Lancs Blackburn Lancaster Preston Reed Maker 

James HOLT 28 Lanc Todmorden York W R Todmorden Reed Maker 

Richard HOLT 29 Lancs Bury Bury Bury Reed Maker 

1901 Census - Colne (ancestry.com)

Miscellaneous in Lancashire

1871 Census RG 10/3976 folio 1
50 Bedford Street, Ardwick, Manchester
William ROBERTS Head Mar 19 Reedmaker Cotton Mill Born Lancs Liverpool
(source M Berrell)

BMDs

Burials in Rochdale - see http://www.holtancestry.co.uk/rochdale-burials.pdf  
(search on reedmaker)

Baptisms Middleton (ancestry.com parish records CD)
Mary d. of Samuel HOLTE Reedmaker & Elisth of Tonge  15 Apr 1744
Eleazar s. of Samuel HOLTE Reedmaker & Elisth of Tonge  06 Sep 1745
Esther d. of Samuel HOLTE Reedmakr & Elisth of Tonge  15 May 1747

Burials Middleton (ancestry.com parish records CD)
Mary Min: d. Samuel HOLTE Reedmaker & Elisth of Tonge  02 Jun 1744

WILLS & ADMINISTRATIONS

(ancestry.com parish records CD)
HOLT, William, Rochdale , reed maker.  Apr 1837
WHITEHEAD, Henry, Bury, reedmaker. W Jul 1824
WHITEHEAD, William, of Stockport, reedmaker 30 Nov 1805
WHITEHEAD, Samuel, of Manchester, reed maker Ad. 12 Apr 1809
DEARDEN, Edward, of Holcome in Bury, reed maker 1759 

PRO - documents online
Will of John Radley, Reed Maker of Manchester , Lancashire 11 January 1810 PROB 11/1507 
Will of Thomas Walker, Reedmaker of Salford 25 May 1807 PROB 11/1462 

OTHER

(ancestry.com parish records CD)
Jonathan DAWSON of Manchester, co. Lanc., reedmaker.(Bondsman to a marriage bond 1711-1715)

The Times - extracts

Bankrupts - London Gazette - 14 Jun 1788
Thomas ASPDEN of Manchester, reed maker, to surrender June 26, 27, July 26 at three at the White Lion Inn, Manchester, Attorney Mr Shelmerdine in Manchester.

The Times - Mon 21 Sep 1818
DRUMMOND, reed maker from Manchester remains in Chester county gaol, not having sufficient interest to raise the bail required by the court.

The Times - Thu 15 Apr 1819
Cheshire Spring Assizes at Chester
Samuel DRUMMOND aged 24, reed maker for sedition, trial expected to come on yesterday.

The Times - Tue 7 Dec 1819
High Treason - Preston
George DEWHURST, reed-maker brought to house of correction in this town. He was apprehended and brought before Rev TD WHITAKER LLD and Joseph FIELDEN Esq at Blackburn, and charged with having "on the 15th of November last, at Abergham Eaves, near Burnley, traitorously conspired and combined together with other wicked and traitorous persons to the number of 10,000 and upwards and in the pursuance of the said traitorous conspiracy, at the time and place aforesaid, with having armed themselves with diverse pikes, pistols, clubs, staves, and other offensive weapons, and with having thereby then and there levied war against the King, in order, by force and constraint, to compel his said Majesty to change his measures and councils, and to intimidate and overawe the Houses of Parliament"

The Times - Wed 3 Dec 1862
Bankrupts - Thomas BAXTER, Accrington, reed maker, Dec 22 at 12, Bankrupts court, Manchester.

TheTimes - Wed 20 Jan 1864
Bankrupts - Thomas HEATON, Blackburn, reed maker, Feb 1 at 1, County court Blackburn.

The Times Wed 18 Jan 1865
Bankrupts - Notice of Sitting for Last Examination
Feb 8 - W CARRUTHERS, Bury, reed maker

The Times - Wed 9 Aug 1865
Bankrupts - Notice of Sitting for Last Examination
Sep 12 - W SHARPLES, Preston,  reed maker

The Times - Sat 10 Jun 1871
Bankrupts - Public Examinations
Jul 3 - E COTTAM, Blackburn Reed maker

The National Archives, Kew
SP 36/18
Petitions. Inventions. John Kay of Bury co.Lancaster, Reed maker. Nature of Invention: A new engine for making, twisting and cording mohair and worsted, and twining and dressing of thread. Papers annexed: Petitioner's affidavit. Attorney-General's report, dated Apr 7. Copy of warrant dated Apr 16. Folios 59-66.

Other info collated by me - John KAY was the 12th child of a Yeoman farmer Robert Kay, born 16 Jul 1704 at Park, north of Bury and baptised at St Mary's, Bury on 23 July 1704. In 1730 he was in Bury when he invented the above noted invention, though was possibly educated earlier in France. In 1753 Kay's house in Bury was ransacked by a mob of textile workers who feared that his machines would destroy their livelihood. He is believed to have died a pauper in France about 1780. He left behind a son, Robert, who in 1769 was to make another major contribution to the improvement of weaving, the drop box.

Cotton Times
Thomas HIGHS, reed maker of Leigh, Lancashire the "possible" real inventor of Spinning Jenny, Water Frame and Spinning Mule. See http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/highs.htm